Roberto De Zerbi has described his Tottenham Hotspur side as the most fragile team he has ever managed in his coaching career. The stark assessment follows a 3-2 home defeat to Aston Villa that leaves Spurs winless and in the relegation zone after five Premier League games.
Speaking after the match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Italian manager expressed his frustration at a recurring pattern of collapse. "In my career, 14 years as a coach, I've never seen one team like us," De Zerbi said. "So fragile, so inconsistent. You can't be very good in the first 30, 40 minutes, and then concede like this."
A familiar collapse
Spurs led 2-1 at half-time through goals from James Maddison and Brennan Johnson, but conceded twice after the break to lose. De Zerbi admitted he was struggling to find answers for the team's inability to hold onto leads. "I'm a coach, but I do not have all the answers," he said. "I saw my team in the first half play very well, we had chances to score. We didn't score and then we conceded."
The manager suggested a lack of leadership on the pitch was a core issue. "Maybe the communication between the players is the problem, maybe the leaders have to be stronger," De Zerbi explained. "We need leaders to drive and lead the team."
Relegation zone reality
The result means Tottenham have taken just two points from a possible fifteen this season. They sit 18th in the Premier League table, a deeply concerning position for a club that narrowly avoided relegation last term only on the final day. The team's defensive record is the worst in the division, having conceded 13 goals already.
Supporters will view the upcoming international break as a critical period for De Zerbi and his squad to address these systemic problems. The first match back is a daunting trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Saturday, 26 September.
De Zerbi, who kept the club up last season, now faces his biggest test yet in turning around both results and mentality. The 45-year-old said he plans to hold clear talks with his players during the break in an attempt to find solutions before the trip to Manchester.
On Tuesday, manager Roberto De Zerbi confirmed he had not spoken to his players after the 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He said, "I didn't speak with the players, I didn't want to say anything." De Zerbi also singled out several players for criticism, stating that James Maddison, Conor Gallagher, Dominic Solanke, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marcos Senesi and Savio must work more because he did not like their physical condition in the game. The club's summer spending was also questioned, with former England midfielder Joe Cole telling reporters that Tottenham have "overpaid for every player" after a spend of about £302m. The defeat leaves Spurs 20th in the Premier League with two points from five games.
On Tuesday, manager Roberto De Zerbi admitted he has no solution for his team's fragility. "It is difficult to explain," he said after the 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The club's summer spending of more than £300m has not prevented a slide to 20th in the Premier League with two points from five games. The manager also questioned his leadership group, stating that "leaders have to be leaders" in key moments. Spurs face Manchester United away on October 10.
